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TORONTO - Jeremaine Copeland is the lucky winner of the Argonauts’ hold’em sweepstakes.

Kicker Noel Prefontaine on Thursday chose Copeland to be his holder, a decision that was made after longtime holder Kevin Eiben suffered a potential season-ending pectoral injury last week.

“We’re going to have to take time and develop a chemistry,” Prefontaine said. aa“We’re not there yet, but I think he is going to be the right one for the job the rest of the year.”

Chad Owens, Grant Shaw and Mike Bradwell also tried their hand at holding this week. Copeland picked up it up the fastest.

“It’s not as easy as everyone thinks it is,” said Copeland, who has not held since he was a kid. “It’s going to be different, but I am not nervous, because I know it is something my team needs me to do.

“It’s a matter of trying to perfect it. Everything is not going to be perfect this first game.”

Copeland has to be a quick study on two fronts — receiving the snap from Chad Rempel and then placing the ball in the right spot for Prefontaine.

With Copeland as the holder, any doubt that might have lingered about Prefontaine’s return from a quad injury is gone. He will punt and kick against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday night.

“He is the best Canadian dual guy in the league,” Argos head coach and general manager Jim Barker said. “To have a guy when the pressure is on to make the punt for you and make the field goal you have to have, it is re-assuring to our entire football team.”